Brookings County Court System

The Brookings County Courthouse houses the following offices:

• Court Administration
• Court Services
• Clerk of Courts

Under supervision of the Chief Justice, who is the administrative head of the Unified Judicial System, the State Court Administrator is the non-judicial officer who implements the rules and policies of the Supreme Court as they apply to the operations and administration of the courts and is the liaison between the judicial branch and the other branches of state and local government. To ensure efficient and responsive operation, the State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services to the entire Unified Judicial System, which is composed of 7 Judicial Circuits.

Brookings County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit which is made up of fourteen counties. Those other counties are: Beadle, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody, and Sanborn. The 3rd Circuit Courts are general trial courts with 6 Circuit Court Judges and 2 Magistrate Judges. Ad-ministrative direction for the Circuit is provided by a Presiding Judge and Circuit Court Administrator, whom both office out of Brookings. All the court staff including Magistrate Judges, Court Reporters, Clerks of Court, and Court Services Officers are employees of the State of South Dakota.

For more information, visit the Third Circuit Court website.

Historical Information

Brookings County's first courthouse, a wooden structure built in 1883, served the county until the present courthouse was built in 1912. The original building was then sold and dismantled. The present building was designed by Architects C.E. Bell, Tyrie and Chapman and constructed by the J.B. Nelson Construction Company. It was completed and furnished for slightly over $127,000.

Courthouse Historical Information Brochure
2013 Courthouse Remodeling Project Brochure